Explore the Collections

Label:Bearing the coat of arms and name of a city councilor of Bern, Switzerland, this panel shows two kings lying at the feet of a blindfolded female figure, who represents Justice. Perhaps this scene is a moralizing reminder that everyone, even a king, is accountable to divine Justice. Alternatively, it could relate to the political and religious conflicts of the time. The fleur-de-lis on the royal scepter on the right, traditionally a symbol of the French monarchy, and the addition of a pope in a similar stained-glass panel donated by Wyss to a church a few years later, suggest that the image represents the punishment of Catholic authorities for their persecution of the Reformed Church. Such polemic views were customary in Bern, where the Reformation was introduced in 1528.

* Works in the collection are moved off view for many different reasons. Although gallery locations on the website are updated regularly, there is no guarantee that this object will be on display on the day of your visit.